Exams

Suicide is the only option.

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Original post by AsOne I have three exams over three days starting Monday, I really need to study for two of them, but I just can't bring myself to do any work. Maybe it's becasue I really really ... really hate doing physics and chemistry since I started university. I'm sure this happens to a lot of people, what do you do, to force yourself to study?

I just sit myself down and study. I have to force it for a while, but eventually I get in the groove. I find that it really helps to go to the library with just my study materials so the only option is to study.

Another tip, which isn't exactly what you're asking for, is to create a note/"cheat" sheet. Most science classes at the university level allow a cheat sheet ("We're testing understanding, not memorization."), but I make one even if they don't. It helps me to "visualize" a formula because I can picture it on the page (of course, all the better if you can use the cheat sheet on the exam!). Also, having a "purpose" like this, instead of just reviewing the material, helps me to study. Redoing homework problems or trying unassigned problems from the text is also a good option.

You should study in the UK. Here, at university, you only study a particular subject. I gave up English, Geography, etc. at high school (high school in the UK is for 11-16 year olds).

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Original post by AsOne I have three exams over three days starting Monday, I really need to study for two of them, but I just can't bring myself to do any work. Maybe it's becasue I really really ... really hate doing physics and chemistry since I started university. I'm sure this happens to a lot of people, what do you do, to force yourself to study?

i have that same problem, things that should take me 2 hours, take at least 8 :/ i've considered the possiblity that i have add or something, but when it get in an environment where i have to do it, like a test, i get it done nice and quick :(

if i figure out the answer to this little problem, i'll be sure to tell you

I never force myself to study any lesson, it did never brought anything good fo me until now. I have 2 exams this week : LF amplifier design, and antennae & wave propagation in free space.

Antennae is actually way too hard, if i study really hard i can hope getting a 3 out of 20 mark. If i dont study it i may get 1 or 2. It just doesnt make any significant difference for me to study, so better spent my time somewhere else.

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Original post by Lenolian I never force myself to study any lesson, it did never brought anything good fo me until now. I have 2 exams this week : LF amplifier design, and antennae & wave propagation in free space. Antennae is actually way too hard, if i study really hard i can hope getting a 3 out of 20 mark. If i dont study it i may get 1 or 2. It just doesnt make any significant difference for me to study, so better spent my time somewhere else.

Maybe I shouldn't study at all then :) ... I either know what I'm doing and I get the questions right all the time, or I don't seem to know anything and give up (when studying). My marks always seem to come out the same on exams of both situations though.

i hate exams.

I can safely say that i put more work into my programming than 95% of my class.
Yet i only got 44% in algorithms and data structures.

Why?

Because we had to write pages and pages of suedo code on paper. I made so many little mistakes, i had to rub stuff out to make room etc. It was hell. The exam was 3 hours. All of the questions i had done before in my spare time. Because the exam format was sooo bad my mind was gone after question 2. I could no longer thing clearly. I am not that smart but i put the effort in. The exams test memory/speed not understanding.

I would have done better if i memorized the code, which is what most crappy programmers did.

Anyway my final point is - science exams should not have a time limit, especially programming. I dont think john carmack did his bsp tree implementation in 3 hours. It probably took him days of thought and design.

When i write suedo code there is only 1 person who can understand it, me. So i had to invent a language which my lecturer could understand.

Just put on some relaxing music, turn off the computer and close the door and just study...it's really the only way.

On a brighter note, I'm already done exams [grin], guess that's my reward for the university stealing our reading week...grrr

Yeah, it seems most of my exams test speed and memory as well. All three of my exams comming up are three hours long, but I know that if I spend 10 seconds just thinking about a question I may not finish the exam.

I found that since I started university I haven't had time to understand any material, and I don't bother. Time is better spent just memorizing how to do things, not why you do them. This really sucks. It feels like I'm just buying an education not actually getting one, but if I wanted to learn I would sacrifice my grades. It's a lose-lose, but I guess this is what I get for taking 6 courses a semester.

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Original post by AsOne I have three exams over three days starting Monday, I really need to study for two of them, but I just can't bring myself to do any work. Maybe it's becasue I really really ... really hate doing physics and chemistry since I started university. I'm sure this happens to a lot of people, what do you do, to force yourself to study?

I really did not have that problem, as physics was my major and math was nearly my minor. However, when it came to American Literature or German I needed motivation. All I had to do was remind myself that if I did not do the work, I was going to screw up my grade point average and that would make it harder or impossible to obtain a graduate assistantship.

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Original post by AsOne It's a lose-lose, but I guess this is what I get for taking 6 courses a semester.

I'll agree to that. Man, I don't understand you people with all your courses. I took it easy through undergrad. I probably averaged 3-4 courses a semester, and I still graduated in four years, managed to get two majors and a minor (well, it did help that there was significant overlap). My suggestion: Take a lighter load and have some fun! My last year of undergrad someone, half jokingly (but half serious!) suggested I fail one of my courses to prolong college. The closer I get to the "real world", the less I understand the hurry to get there.

And, for what it's worth, I disagree with Tomx. I got a liberal arts education and am glad I went that route. True, I don't know my subject as in depth as someone with a more focused and technical education, but what I lack in depth I gain in breadth. I have a better understanding of any given problem domain and I am better able to communicate with people from a different background. I also make up for a lack of depth in knowing where to get the information I need. I suggest keeping your undergrad work broad and specialize in grad school.